• Inform court they lack authorisation to argue the matter
• Say jail authorities didn’t facilitate meetings with clients to obtain instructions or execute fresh powers of attorney
• Legal team considers it prudent to adopt ‘wait-and-see’ approach

ISLAMABAD: A day before the scheduled hearing in the £190 million corruption case, the lawyers for PTI founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi on Wednesday informed the Islamabad High Court that they were not authorised to argue the main appeals against their clients’ conviction, seeking the adjournment of the hearing.

In an application filed before the IHC, Barrister Salman Safdar, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Sarmad Muneeb said their engagement was limited to arguing applications for suspension of sentence, adding that no formal power of attorney or instructions had been obtained for the main appeals. The lawyers also informed the court that despite repeated efforts, the authorities at Adiala jail had not facilitated meetings with the clients for the purpose of obtaining instructions or executing fresh powers of attorney.

“The undersigned expresses inability to proceed further in the absence of proper instructions, formal engagement, and requisite power(s) of attorney,” the application stated.

The lawyers prayed to the court to issue strict directions to the jail authorities to allow meetings with the clients and to adjourn the main appeals fixed for the May 7 hearing.

‘Wait-and-see’ approach

Sources in Mr Khan’s legal team told Dawn that the decision to seek an adjournment was taken in light of recent developments.

According to the insiders, the bench did not take up the suspension of sentence plea despite repeated requests.

They maintained that the bail petition was strong, particularly given Mr Khan’s reported eye infection.

Both Mr Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, are said to be in solitary confinement. However, instead of granting immediate relief, the bench opted to invite arguments on the main appeals.

The sources further indicated that if the main appeals were dismissed, the matter would likely be taken to the Federal Constitutional Court, where, under the prevailing circumstances, the outcome could be anticipated.

In view of this situation, they said the legal team considered it prudent to adopt a “wait-and-see” approach.

The development comes after a two-member bench of the IHC, headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, on April 30 rejected the couple’s plea seeking suspension of their sentence in the same case, observing that the main appeals had already been fixed for hearing.

The court declared the suspension applications infructuous and directed that arguments on the main appeals be heard on May 7.

Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced on Jan 17, 2025, by an accountability court to 14 and seven years, respectively, in the £190m corruption case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case. Both have challenged their convictions before the IHC.

The case alleges that the couple obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town Ltd to legalise Rs50 billion identified and returned to the country by the UK during the PTI government.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2026